CONOR SAMMON, Giovanni Trapattoni's find of last season, isn't ready to tackle unfinished business in the Premier League just yet after pledging to stay with Derby County.

The striker, back in Dublin on Saturday and amongst the scorers in Derby County's 6-1 trouncing of Bohemians, has been linked with a €3m switch to top-flight newcomers Hull City.

Sammon (26) admitted his late elevation to the Ireland set-up had sharpened his form, but the Dubliner, who has featured in all seven of Ireland's matches so far in 2013, insisted he was going nowhere.

"I haven't heard anything about that (Hull's interest) but I'm happy at Derby. I feel really settled here," said the striker, whose last foray into the Premier League wasn't so fruitful – he scored just once in 34 outings for Wigan Athletic, who sold him to the Rams for €1.5m last summer.

With Nigel Clough having recruited Dundee United marksman Johnny Russell and Chris Martin from Norwich, Sammon (right) reckons Derby can follow Hull into the top-flight next season. "We wouldn't look out of place in the Premier League," he asserted.

"It's not that long ago that Derby were in the Premier League. The club – with its facilities, fanbase and squad – is ready to get back."

Sammon is also looking to progress on the international scene by becoming a first-choice striker.

With Ireland's World Cup qualification double-header against Sweden and Austria in September fast approaching, Sammon is hoping that his displays in Ireland's four-game end-of-season series edged him nearer to achieving that goal.

Sammon's international stock might have risen further a month ago had he converted Ireland's best chance of the night against Spain in New York.

With the friendly against the World and European champions scoreless, the striker shrugged off Gerard Pique to race clear on goal only to arc his shot horribly wide of the far post.

He said: "I've watched a few times and I just didn't catch it right. I was looking to play it into the far corner which, looking back on it, was the right thing to do."